About The Word While

Bay Area Crosswords

Learn about the word While to help solve your crossword puzzle. Discover While definitions and meaning, origins, synonyms, related terms and more at the free Crossword Dictionary.

While

While Meaning & Definition
While Definition And Meaning

What's The Definition Of While?

[n] a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"

Synonyms | Synonyms for While: piece | spell

Related Terms | Find terms related to While:

See Also | time

While In Webster's Dictionary

\While\, n. [AS. hw[=i]l; akin to OS. hw[=i]l, hw[=i]la, OFries. hw[=i]le, D. wigl, G. weile, OHG. w[=i]la, hw[=i]la, hw[=i]l, Icel. hv[=i]la a bed, hv[=i]ld rest, Sw. hvila, Dan. hvile, Goth. hweila a time, and probably to L. quietus quiet, and perhaps to Gr. ? the proper time of season. [root]20. Cf. {Quiet}, {Whilom}.] 1. Space of time, or continued duration, esp. when short; a time; as, one while we thought him innocent. ``All this while.'' --Shak. This mighty queen may no while endure. --Chaucer. [Some guest that] hath outside his welcome while, And tells the jest without the smile. --Coleridge. I will go forth and breathe the air a while. --Longfellow. 2. That which requires time; labor; pains. [Obs.] Satan . . . cast him how he might quite her while. --Chaucer. {At whiles}, at times; at intervals. And so on us at whiles it falls, to claim Powers that we dread. --J. H. Newman. {The while}, {The whiles}, in or during the time that; meantime; while. --Tennyson. {Within a while}, in a short time; soon. {Worth while}, worth the time which it requires; worth the time and pains; hence, worth the expense; as, it is not always worth while for a man to prosecute for small debts.
\While\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Whiled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Whiling}.] To cause to pass away pleasantly or without irksomeness or disgust; to spend or pass; -- usually followed by away. The lovely lady whiled the hours away. --Longfellow.
\While\, v. i. To loiter. [R.] --Spectator.
\While\, conj. 1. During the time that; as long as; whilst; at the same time that; as, while I write, you sleep. ``While I have time and space.'' --Chaucer. Use your memory; you will sensibly experience a gradual improvement, while you take care not to overload it. --I. Watts. 2. Hence, under which circumstances; in which case; though; whereas. {While as}, {While that}, during or at the time that. [Obs.]
\While\, prep. Until; till. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] I may be conveyed into your chamber; I'll lie under your bed while midnight. --Beau. & Fl.
while (<expr>) <statement>;

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